


Blinking Button

by Coolartist1110



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: As per usual this is entirely for self-indulgent purposes, Bill being a sci-fi dork, Gen, Multiple Doctors (Doctor Who), Ten also being a sci-fi dork, There's a small amount of references to the Classic series just because I like it too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:14:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27494800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coolartist1110/pseuds/Coolartist1110
Summary: On 12's end, this takes place sometime after The Eaters of Light. On 10's end, this is sometime before Midnight.I wanted to write something involving my 2 favorite Modern companions, Donna and Bill, so I came up with this! Using my normal writing format of script dialogue and normal writing for everything else.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 39





	1. TARDIS on Shuffle

Bill happily stood back, watching The Doctor flipping switches, turning dials, and pulling levers. She still thought the TARDIS looked more like a kitchen than a proper spaceship, but it was fun to watch the older man rush around the console and fidget with the controls.

Bill: So, where to?

Doctor (12): Anywhere, anytime. Especially since the _bald_ _babysitter_ didn’t tag along _._

The young woman laughed at her friend’s fairly accurate description of Nardole. She didn’t dislike Nardole NEARLY as much as The Doctor, but she had her limits. It was nice to spend some time just...traveling.

Bill: Let’s visit...I dunno. Another planet?

Doctor (12): Feeling very descriptive today, I see.

Obvious sarcasm is obvious. Bill rolled her eyes.

Doctor (12): Bill, there’s millions of galaxies, trillions of planets, and a whole mess of different time periods for each one. “Another planet” isn’t exactly narrowing things down.

Bill: Hey, it’s not like I know all the names! I didn’t know any planets past our solar system ‘til I met you! Haven’t you got, like, a shuffle mode?

Doctor (12): “Shuffle?”

Bill: Yeah, shuffle! Like when you listen to music, but you don’t want the songs to play in any particular order. You press shuffle.

Doctor (12): You mean a sort of randomizer?

Bill: Exactly!

Doctor (12): Hmm. There _is_ a randomization function.

Bill’s face lit up.

Doctor (12): Unfortunately, it has a nasty habit of almost _exclusively_ sending the TARDIS into rock quarries.

Ok. Bill could work with that.

Bill: Alright, fine. Rock quarry it is!

The Doctor sighed. He’d respect Bill’s wishes, but he still didn’t like rock quarries. Too many rocks.

Doctor (12): Now, where’s the randomizer again?

His hands hovered over the complex controls of the console. He hadn’t used the randomizer in _ages_. Why should he remember where it is? He glanced over to a certain blinking button. Was that it?

What was it he used to say before pressing something like this? Not “geronimo.” The other one. Something in French.


	2. We'll Always Have Paris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't really have a good summary for this. These are short chapters XD

Doctor (10): Allons-y, Donna! C’mon!

The pinstripe-wearing Time Lord impatiently tapped his foot as he waited outside of the TARDIS’ wardrobe. What was taking her so long?

Donna (from inside the wardrobe): Give me a MINUTE, SPACEMAN!

_This_ was why he only wore, like, two suits. The pinstripes and the blue one. Far less time wasted on picking out an outfit. That, and he liked those suits.

After what felt like an ETERNITY to The Doctor, Donna emerged from the wardrobe. She had her hair up in a ponytail, and wore some outfit that The Doctor hadn’t seen before. Nothing too dissimilar from Donna’s other clothes.

Donna: Here I am!

Doctor (10): Took long enough.

Donna: OI!

Ignoring Donna’s blatant anger, The Doctor went back to his TARDIS’ console. He moved some dials around, adjusting the destination of the timeship.

Donna: For a TIME Lord, you’re pretty IMPATIENT!

The insulted tone in Donna’s voice made him stop and face his companion. He had a feeling he’d said something wrong.

Doctor (10): ...I was being rude again, wasn’t I?

Donna nodded.

Doctor (10): Yeah...Sorry.

Donna: Just don’t do it again.

The Doctor sheepishly nodded. He needed to work on that.

Donna: So, where are we goin’?

Doctor (10): I was thinking Paris. Haven’t gone there _too_ recently. Had a lovely time there with an old friend of mine. Stopped the Mona Lisa from being stolen...well, sort of.

Donna: You’d fit right in. You and your French. Why do you say “allons-y,” anyway?

Doctor (10): Huh. Never really thought about it. Just a fun word to say, I suppose. I like the way it rolls off the tongue.

He proceeded to mouth the word “allons-y” to himself multiple times. Yup! Fun to say!

Doctor (10): Of course, if I said it while we were in Paris, that’d just be what happened in Pompeii all over again. Veni, vidi, vici.

Donna: Sorry, was that Celtic?

After a short pause, Donna and The Doctor broke out into giggles. Donna could always make him laugh. He liked that about her.

A little blinking button on the console caught The Doctor’s attention.

Doctor (10): What’re you blinking for, little guy?

Donna: What? Who’s blinkin’?

Doctor (10): This button. Can’t quite remember what it does. Is it supposed to be blinking?

Donna: How can you _NOT KNOW_ if it’s supposed to do that?

Doctor (10): Donna, this ship is TECHNICALLY supposed to be piloted by six people. I can’t keep track of EVERY BUTTON.

What was it for, anyway? Was it important? It might be important. Might not be. No harm in pressing it, right?


	3. Doctor Caecilius?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once again, Donna finds herself teleported to an unknown location...or does she?

Bill: Doctor? You OK?

Doctor (12): Yes, yes, I’m just...trying to remember which button to use.

Bill: You _don’t know_?

Doctor (12): I haven’t used it in a longer period of time than you’ve been ALIVE.

Bill: Ok, ok! Grumpy.

The blinking button might be it. Might not be. Only one way to find out.

The Doctor pressed the blinking button, and waited for something to happen. He gave it a few seconds...nope, nothing.

Doctor (12): Guess that wasn’t it. Maybe it’s one of the buttons near the chairs. Go and press everything on the small panel over there, see what happens.

He expected to hear the sound of Bill walking over to the too-far-from-the-console chairs. Instead, he heard something he hadn’t heard in a very, _very_ long time _._

Donna: WHERE THE HELL AM I?!

The Doctor turned around faster than he ever had in his life.

No. He was hallucinating, or dreaming, or maybe even going mad. She couldn’t be here. She was on Earth, married to a husband that _didn’t_ try to feed her to a giant spider-lady. Her memory was wiped. Being onboard the TARDIS, new desktop or not, would’ve burned her mind out INSTANTLY. And yet, here she was, alive and _very_ angry.

Doctor (12): It can’t...It’s not possible _._ You’re not-

Donna: _ANSWER THE QUESTION_!

Doctor (12): You’re not here. This is some sort of trick. Did Missy do this? This has Missy written all over it.

Donna: Who the HELL is Missy?! _WHO THE HELL ARE YOU_?!

Donna took a closer look at the confused man in front of her. He looked awfully familiar.

Doctor (12): Where’s Bill gone? If you’re here, does that mean she’s-

Donna: Caecilius?! Lobus Caecilius? It is you, isn’t it!

She knew Caecilius. That was proof Donna still retained her memories of The Doctor. She couldn’t be the _present_ Donna, so she must be from the past. HIS past. That _would_ explain the lack of mind-burning.

Donna: Sorry for the shouting. I didn’t recognize you in those clothes! Long way from Pompeii, ey?

Donna looked around the large, metal room.

Donna: Oh, God. We’ve been abducted, haven’t we? Grandad was right. He _told_ me I’d get probed if I kept travelin’ in space. I KNEW I should’ve listened to him!

The Doctor has to stifle a smile upon hearing that. Good old Wilf. More important things were going on! Bill was missing, and Donna had taken her place. The first thing to do was tell Donna what was going on.

Doctor (12): Donna, this might be a lot to take in, but I’m going to need you to listen to me.

Donna: No offense, Caecilius, but I think I’m more experienced with space-stuff than you are. Don’t you worry. We’ll get outta here and you’ll be back with your family in no time!

Doctor (12): You’re _not_ more experienced than I am, and I’m _not_ Caecilius.

Donna faced the Time Lord. His eyes...so filled with care, yet so sorrowful.

Donna: You’re not...then who are you?! And how do you know my name?!

Doctor (12): You asked me where you are. I’m not sure how you got to this point in time, but the location should be familiar enough: the TARDIS.

Complete and utter perplexity could not even _begin_ to describe Donna’s current state of mind _._

Donna: What?! No, it isn’t! The TARDIS isn’t all grey and metal. It’s brown, with sort of round things on the wall!

Doctor (12): You mean like this?

The Doctor quickly adjusted the TARDIS desktop. It changed into the old coral look that Donna was more familiar with. After giving it enough time to sink in, he changed the desktop back to his current one.

Donna: Yeah...ok, even if I believe this _is_ the TARDIS, which I DON’T, then where’s The Doctor? If you’ve done anything to him, you’ve got to deal with ME!

A bittersweet smile made its way onto the man’s face.

Doctor (12): He’s right here.

Donna: Oh yeah?! WHERE, in the LOO?

Despite the severity of the situation, The Doctor couldn’t help but laugh. That was Donna Noble, alright.

Donna: STOP LAUGHIN’!

Doctor (12): Sorry, sorry.

Donna: Now _WHERE IS THE DOCTOR_?!

He pointed at himself.

Doctor (12): Told you. Right here.

Needless to say, Donna’s jaw DROPPED.

Donna: ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME _YOU’RE_ THE DOCTOR?!

Doctor (12): I _am_ telling you.

Donna: THAT’S _RUBBISH_!

Doctor (12): Donna-

Donna: _STOP MESSIN’ AROUND_! TELL ME WHERE HE IS OR I-

Doctor (12): STOP. YELLING!

Out of everything she’d seen today, the most shocking of all was a person who could match her volume.

Doctor (12): Benefit of being Scottish: I can YELL louder. Really helpful. People actually LISTEN to me!

Donna crossed her arms.

Donna: Fine. No more yelling, as long as you tell me the _truth_.

Doctor (12): I _am_ telling you the truth. Go on then, Donna Noble. Ask me anything.

Donna: His daughter’s name.

Doctor (12): Jenny.

Donna: His lost friend.

Doctor (12): Rose Tyler.

Donna: Alien that tried to kill me on my wedding day.

Doctor (12): Empress of the Racnoss.

All correct. The Doctor looked rather smug. Now THAT was about right.

Donna: It really is you, isn’t it, Spaceman?

He loved it when she called him Spaceman.

Doctor (12): Hello.

She finally started to see it. See HIM. Sure, he was older, Scottish, and grumpier, but deep down, she just...knew. For the first time since she’d gotten there, Donna smiled.

Donna: What’ve you done this time?


	4. I'm Just a Bill, Yes I'm Only a Bill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (i am so sorry about the title, i couldn't help myself)
> 
> So if Donna's in 12's TARDIS...where is Bill?

Hm. The button didn’t do anything. If it did, then the effect wasn’t immediately noticeable.

Doctor (10): Hmph. Bit of a let down. Thought we’d at _least_ be crash landing.

Yeah, crashes normally didn’t end very well, but they were EXCITING. He liked exciting, as did the human girl that he hadn’t noticed yet.

Bill was at a loss for words. One second she was with The Doctor, the next she was in this sorta...steampunk waiting room. The Doctor always tried to solve situations with diplomacy first, so Bill felt she should do the same.

Bill: Uh...hi!

The stranger in sneakers and a pinstripe suit turned around. He looked young. Young and _very_ confused. Funny enough, that’s just how The Doctor would describe the young woman with frizzy hair in a denim jacket that had suddenly appeared in his TARDIS.

Doctor (10): What?

Bill: Nice place you’ve got here! Liking the...baubles? On the walls?

Doctor (10): _What_? _  
_

Bill: So, where is this? Some kinda...lobby?

Doctor (10): _WHAT_?! _  
_

Donna was nowhere to be found. Whoever this girl was, she’d taken Donna’s place. Maybe _that’s_ what the button does!

Doctor (10): Oh God, Donna’s gonna kill me.

Bill: I’m sorry, who?

He’d sorta tuned Bill out by this point. He took out his handy-dandy Sonic Screwdriver and began to scan this newcomer.

Bill: Hey, you’ve got one of those too! My friend has one just like it. Except the light’s bigger, and it kinda twirls around.

The scan was finished, and The Doctor checked the results.

Doctor (10): Average human readings...no-no-no, wait! Chronon energy! You’ve time traveled. Multiple times!

Only NOW did The Doctor process Bill’s previous comment.

Doctor (10): Did you say you knew someone with a device like this?

Bill: So you _can_ hear me. Was wonderin’, since you’ve mostly been ignoring me.

Doctor (10): Agh, again with the RUDE! Why am I so BAD at this?

Bill raised an eyebrow. Whoever he was, this guy was...eccentric, to put it mildly.

Doctor (10): My apologies, Miss...?

Bill: Potts. Bill Potts. Just “Bill” is fine.

Doctor (10): Bill Potts! Lovely name. Now, about this friend of yours with a device like mine?

Bill: He calls it a “Sonic Screwdriver.” It doesn’t look much like a screwdriver, but he says it is “in a very broad sense.” The sonic bit is ‘cause “it makes a noise.”

Certainly SOUNDED like something he’d say. Or, more accurately, something he WILL say.

Doctor (10): Bill, does this friend of yours happen to call himself The Doctor?

Bill’s mood instantly improved upon hearing The Doctor’s name. This guy knew The Doctor! Maybe he could help her out of this mess.

Bill: Yes! You know him?

Doctor (10): You could say that.

Realization struck.

Doctor (10): OH! YES! _THAT’S_ where she must be! _  
_

Bill: Wha...did I miss somethin’?

Doctor (10): You were just in the TARDIS, yes? With The Doctor?

Bill: That’s right.

Doctor (10): So was Donna. You’re in this version of my TARDIS, and Donna’s in the version YOU come from! HA!

Bill was happy to see that this man had apparently figured something out, but she couldn’t follow.

Bill: Hold on, you said “my” TARDIS. Is this another TARDIS? OH, you’re another Time Lord, aren’t you! Like Missy!

What? There weren’t any other Time Lords. He was the only one left. Surely, his future self would tell Bill about that. If he didn’t, it must’ve been for a good reason. The Doctor thought it best to just play along.

Doctor (10): Eh...not quite. I don’t think I’ve introduced myself to you properly yet. Bill Potts, I’m The Doctor.

Bill’s eyes widened.

Bill: YOU’RE...no, then why didn’t you recognize me?

Doctor (10): Because I haven’t met you yet! You’ve come from my future, most likely.

Bill: But...if you really ARE The Doctor, and I’m meeting you now, how come you won't remember me when _I_ first meet _you_? _  
_

Doctor (10): Well, encountering my future self always plays tricks on my memory. Normally the only one who remembers is the most recent Doctor, in this case, _your_ Doctor.

So Bill had been transported into The Doctor’s past, and this “Donna” had been transported into Bill’s present time. She really hoped that was the case, because she didn’t want THIS Doctor to explain the physics of everything to her. He’d probably keep talking for hours.

Bill: Ok. Great! How do we get me back to MY Doctor?

Doctor (10): Excellent question, Bill. Still working on an answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to put in a triple "What" moment, ok? Legally required to.


	5. Whatever Happened to Donna Noble?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to 12 and Donna, the duo is working on a solution to this whole situation. Donna's got some questions...

Donna: How come you don’t remember all this happening?

Doctor (12): Crossing your own timestream gets messy. He’ll meet himself again soon enough, and he won’t remember it.

Donna: Sounds inconvenient.

Doctor (12): It IS.

Donna wasn’t too sure what this Doctor was up to. He looked to be plugging in some wires from the console into a screen, but why? Her Doctor would’ve explained by now. Then he’d go off on some tangent about his “timey-wimey” detector again. Not that she was complaining. The silence was just...unsettling. She decided to get a conversation going.

Donna: You mentioned someone named “Bill,” right?

Doctor (12): Bill Potts. She’s currently traveling with me, like you were. Bright for a human.

Donna: I’m sorry, “for a human?!”

Oops. The Doctor’d forgotten not to insult species around Donna.

Doctor (12): Er...I didn’t say that.

Donna: That’s what I THOUGHT. So if you’ve picked up a new travel buddy, where’ve I gone?

Throughout the conversation, The Doctor hadn’t looked up from his work. That question stopped him in his tracks.

Donna: Is...is somethin’ wrong? Oh, no, I DIED, didn’t I?! You LET ME DIE out in SPACE!

Doctor (12): You’re not dead, Donna.

Phew! That was a relief.

Donna: Oh thank GOD...So? Where’s my future take me?

Doctor (12): You know I can’t tell you that.

Donna: Aw, c’mon! Not even a hint for your favorite temp?

Donna was trying to lighten the mood. Based on the pained expression The Doctor wore, it wasn’t working. She walked up to her friend and put her hand on his shoulder.

Donna: Doctor, something happened, and it involves me.

Doctor (12): Donna, please...

Donna: Did I do something to you? Am I lost, too, like Rose?

Tears welled up in The Doctor’s eyes. He shut his eyes to hide it.

Doctor (12): You’re not lost, Donna. You leave. You leave, and you’re happy.

He wasn’t telling her everything.

Donna: I just...I leave you behind? And I’m HAPPY? I...I’m sorry. Can’t imagine living a happy life if I leave.

Doctor (12): No, I don’t believe you can.

A wire disconnected from the screen, prompting The Doctor to get back to work. New face or not, Donna knew The Doctor well enough to know when he was upset.

She couldn’t fathom it...just ABANDONING her friend like that. They fought, but it never meant anything! What could’ve happened between them? Whatever it was, she wouldn’t let him sulk. Spouting technobabble always cheered him up, didn’t it?

Donna: What’re you doing to the screen?

Doctor (12): Connecting parts of the TARDIS’ psychic circuitry and communications array into it. With luck, I should be able to jury-rig us a way of contacting Sandshoes.

Donna: Sandshoes?

Doctor (12): My past self.

He took out his Sonic Screwdriver to make some minute adjustments.

Donna: Still got your little bleeper...why’s the light so big?

Doctor (12): What?

Donna: You just had a little bulb at the end before, now look at it! The light’s all spinny!

Doctor (12): I LIKE the new light!

Donna: Feels a bit flashy to me.

Doctor (12): Says the one with the hatbox.

Donna: My hats aren’t flashy!

Doctor (12): Sure they aren’t.

Donna: I think I liked you better when you were English!

Doctor (12): I think I liked YOU better when you were just some random woman in a wedding dress.

By now, The Doctor and Donna both had their hands on their hips in a standoff. She stared at him. He glared at her.

Then they both smiled. Donna started laughing.

Donna: Your EYEBROWS! How can...haha...how can anybody take you SERIOUSLY with those GIANT THINGS!

Doctor (12): Oi! The eyebrows are the best part! You should’ve seen the last one. Practically NO eyebrows at all! Skinnier, too!

Donna: SKINNIER than MINE?

Doctor (12): Somehow, yes. The eyebrows are making up for lost time!

The Doctor tried to hold a straight face. He failed miserably, and joined Donna in laughter. When they finished, the friends smiled at one another.

Donna: Dumbo.

Doctor (12): Watch it, Earthgirl.

One more bleep from the Sonic, and a message was sent out.

Doctor (12): I’d better pick up...


	6. The Final Frontier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of our Doctors has sent out a call. Will the other actually get AROUND to picking it up?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted 10 and Bill to be geeks together, and since 10 definitely knows Star Trek, I figured that'd be a good franchise to nerd about. (Especially since I ALSO happen to know about it.)

One of the screens on the TARDIS console let out an alert.

Bill: Hey, what’s that noise? It’s not some auto-destruct sequence, is it?!

Doctor (10): Where’d you get an idea like that?

Bill: Plenty of movies use stuff like that! Uh...Star Trek! The third movie! The Enterprise blew up!

Doctor (10): Ah, a fellow Trek fan! Can you do this?

The Doctor cheerfully demonstrated the Vulcan salute. Bill reciprocated.

Bill: Peace and long life!

Doctor (10): Live long and prosper.

Bill: You DO know sci-fi!

Doctor (10): Be a bit embarrassing if I didn’t.

Bill: That’s GREAT! You NEVER talk to me about that sorta stuff.

Doctor (10): I don’t?

Bill: Nope. Every time I bring it up you either ignore me or just tell me about how there’s REAL sci-fi stuff out there that you’ve seen yourself.

Doctor (10): Aw, that’s rubbish! I like sci-fi! Yeah, I’ve seen the real deal, but that doesn’t make the fiction any less fun!

Bill: Exactly!

It was nice to know that The Doctor GOT IT at SOME point in his life.

Doctor (10): I see my point, though. I have dealt with plenty of things right out of an Original Series episode.

Bill gasped.

Bill: Are there Vulcans in real life? And Klingons?

Doctor (10): No. At least, I don’t think so.

That was a slight disappointment. Not one to keep a friend expecting more, The Doctor quickly recovered.

Doctor (10): OH! Remember the Mirror Universe? Introduced in the Original Series, expanded upon in Deep Space Nine?

Bill: Haven’t watched much Deep Space Nine yet, but yeah.

Doctor (10): I highly recommend it. Underrated series! I like the Trill. Big Trill fan, me. What was I saying? MIRROR UNIVERSE! Y’see, I was stranded on Earth for a while. Exiled, actually. And I was trying to get my TARDIS working again. I was working for UNIT at the time. Accidentally transported myself into an evil alternative universe!

Bill: NO WAY.

Doctor (10): YEAH!

Bill: That’s AMAZIN’! Was there an evil guy with a goatee?

Doctor (10): No, but a close friend of mine DID have an eyepatch.

Bill: Classic. How about, like, an evil doppelgänger?

Doctor (10): I’ve seen plenty of doppelgängers over the years. Granted, not ALL of them were evil. Let’s see...There was that Abbot, the robot clone of me the Daleks made, Salamander, plenty of other various android copies, Meglos, Omega when he copied my body, Maxil...Not to mention shapeshifting aliens like Zygons. ‘Course, I don’t look like most of them anymore.

Bill: I did NOT expect such a long list.

Doctor (10): Neither did I!

The Doctor and Bill were absolutely giddy. If they could, the two would probably keep geeking out together forever. Unfortunately for them, the alert on the screen grew louder.

Doctor (10): RIGHT, the alert! Almost forgot about that.

Bill: I've been distracting you with all the sci-fi talk! Sorry...

Doctor (10): No, no, don’t be! Got caught up in the moment, happens to the best of us.

He went over to the screen and saw that it was a video-call request.

Doctor (10): Who’d be calling me now?

Bill: Maybe it’s The Doctor! Y’know, the one I’m with.

Doctor (10): Let’s find out.

The Doctor answered the call to see an angry-looking Donna and an irritated elderly gentleman.

Donna (on-screen): WELL IT’S ABOUT TIME YOU PICKED UP!

Doctor (10): Donna, there you are!

Donna (on-screen): Don’t act so RELIEVED, you couldn’t be bothered to ANSWER YOUR PHONE!

Doctor (10): Sorry, sorry! I got...distracted.

Doctor (12, on-screen): Of COURSE you did. You were probably talking Bill to death.

Doctor (10): For your information, Bill and I were having a lovely discussion about-Caecilius?

Donna (on-screen): That’s what I thought, too!

Doctor (12, on-screen): I’m NOT Caecilius! Last time I checked, he didn’t sound SCOTTISH.

Doctor (10): I’ve gone Scottish again, have I? Mind you, much THICKER accent than before. You aren’t quite rolling your Rs.

Doctor (12, on-screen): I don’t do that.

Doctor (10): Aw, c’mon! That’s the best part!

Doctor (12, on-screen): You didn't do that with Queen Victoria.

Doctor (10): I-No, wait, fair enough.

Bill was just sitting back and enjoying the show by this point.

Doctor (12, on-screen): Is Bill with you, or have you managed to lose her already?

Bill: Right here! Hi, Doctor.

A sigh of relief escaped the elder Doctor.

Doctor (12, on-screen): Hi, Bill. Now, about this mess you’ve gotten us into-

Doctor (10): OI! What do you mean _I_ got us into?! How do you know it’s not YOUR fault?

Doctor (12, on-screen): Please. You’re what, in your early 900s? I’m over 2,000 years old, not including the 4,000,000,000 years trapped in a confession dial. I’m far too experienced to make this sort of mistake.

Doctor (10): 4,000,000,000 YEARS?!

Doctor (12, on-screen): Spoilers.

Doctor (10): Again with the spoilers. Why won’t anybody TELL ME anything?!

Bill: Sorry to interrupt your squabble-fest, but...Doctor?

Doctors: Yes?

Bill: I mean the brown-haired one.

Doctor (10): Hm?

Bill: Did you happen to press a blinking button?

Doctor (10): Yeah, I did. How did you know that?

Bill: The other one pressed it, too.

Doctor (12, on-screen): That’s right. OH...

Doctor (10): You don’t think?

Doctors: The matter transporter!

Doctor (10): THAT’S what it does!

Doctor (12, on-screen): We both pressed it at a precise moment in time. The old girl got confused.

Donna (on-screen): Do you two mind translating for those of us who DON’T speak Time Lord?

Doctor (10): We both pressed that button, broadly speaking, at the same time.

Doctor (12, on-screen): The matter transporter. Once we pressed it, both TARDISes didn’t know what to do. Their best guess was switching our friends around.

Bill: Great! Mystery solved!

Donna (on-screen): Sure, lovely. Now HOW DO WE FIX THIS?!

Doctor (10): In theory, one more simultaneous press should switch you back.

Doctor (12, on-screen): Then you’d better press it on time. On three?

Doctor (10): Do you mean one, two, three, go? Or just one, two, three?

Doctor (12, on-screen): Just three. “Go” makes it too annoying.

Doctor (10): Mhm.

Bill: Hold on! You’re just gonna send us back? No goodbyes?

Doctor (12, on-screen): Goodbyes?

Bill: Yeah! It’s not like I’m gonna see him again. And that girl there...Donna, you said? Don’t you wanna say goodbye to her?

Bill’s Doctor considered this. He nodded.

Doctor (12, on-screen): Make it quick. I hate goodbyes.

Bill: That’s more like it.

Bill turned to the past Doctor and offered to shake his hand. They shake.

Bill: Nice meeting you. Good to know The Doctor wasn’t always a grumpy guss.

Doctor (10): Nice meeting you too. You seem fun. Hope I’m not boring you.

Bill: Never.

Doctor (12, on-screen): Enjoy yourself, Donna. You take good care of me.

Donna (on-screen): I will.

The old friends hugged goodbye. He didn't mind hugs if they came from Donna.

Doctor (12, on-screen): Ready?

Doctor (10): Ready.

Doctors: Three, two, one!

PRESS!


	7. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone's back where they belong! This is just a small moment between Bill and 12.

In a flash, Bill was returned to her place in time. Once The Doctor saw her, he turned off the video-call.

Doctor (12): Welcome back.

Bill smiled at her friend.

Bill: Technically, I didn't leave the TARDIS, right?

Doctor (12): Don't be a smarta-

Bill: So you're just gonna forget about all this?

Doctor (12): For a while, yes. Now that it's all happened to _me_ , though, I'm starting to remember.

The Doctor found the ACTUAL randomizer button and triumphantly pressed it.

Doctor (12): There we are. The TARDIS is on shuffle, as per your request.

Bill: Alright!

After a moment or so of silence, Bill couldn't stop herself from asking something.

Bill: That friend of yours. Donna. You guys seemed really close. What happened to her?

Doctor (12): I had to wipe her memory.

Bill: You mean like when we first met?

Doctor (12): Exactly. If I didn't, her mind would've burned up, and she'd die. I couldn't let that happen.

He sighed and frowned. That wasn't a very good time in his life.

Doctor (12): She's living a good life, now. Got married, won the lottery-

Bill: She won the lottery?!

Doctor (12): Yes. She just so happened to receive a winning ticket from a mysterious wedding gift.

It didn't take a genius to figure out who gave her the ticket. Bill thought that was very sweet of him. He really was a softie at heart! Or hearts.

Bill: Nice to see you guys still get along after all this time.

Doctor (12): We weren't the only ones. You took quite a liking to me, if I'm not mistaken.

Bill: Yeah, I did! We talked about

Doctor (12) and Bill: Star Trek.

Bill: ...How did you know?

Doctor (12): I told you. Starting to remember what happened.

Bill: Still hard to believe you're the same person...you're really, _really_ different.

Doctor (12): Not entirely.

Bill didn't catch his meaning.

Doctor (12): After this trip, we're watching Deep Space Nine. _All of it_.

He really did remember.

Bill: Lookin' forward to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of the self-indulgent schlock I hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
